


Always There Holding your Hand

by Jubilee44



Series: Philidosia October Challenge [26]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Family Feels, Fatherhood, First Day of School, Fluff and Angst, Graduation, Growing Up, Married Couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-26 20:01:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12565084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jubilee44/pseuds/Jubilee44
Summary: Philip feels like his daughter has grown up in the blink of an eye and he can't help but feel that bittersweetness.





	Always There Holding your Hand

**Author's Note:**

> 26\. Waiting at the bus stop

  1. Waiting at the bus stop



 

            Erin was nonstop as she walked down the sidewalk, her small hand in Philip’s. She wore her favorite tutu skirt with polka dot tights. Theo had wrangled her curly hair into a braid and finished off the look with a sparkly flower barrette. Theo took many pictures before Erin and Philip set off for the school bus. Theo stayed behind with baby Teddy.

            Erin carried her little Minnie Mouse backpack over her shoulders as she skipped along. “Daddy, what are we going to do at school today?” She asked.

            “I’m not sure, princess.” Philip smiled and looked down at the five-year-old. “You’ll meet your teacher again and I’m sure you’ll get to know everyone else in your class.”

            “My teacher’s name is Miss Nicky.”

            “I know she was nice wasn’t she?”

            Erin’s excitement had only increased after seeing her classroom the week before at a little orientation for the kindergarteners.

            “Daddy, why can’t Teddy come to school with me?” Erin looked up at Philip as they stopped at the end of the sidewalk, where the bus would come to pick Erin up.

            “He’s too young to go to school yet,” Philip answered. “One day he’ll be able to come to the bus stop with you too.” He promised.

            “I can’t wait.” Erin smiled. She started to bounce on the balls of her feet when she saw the big yellow bus pulling up. “Daddy, there’s the bus!” She exclaimed.

            “There it is!” Philip smiled at how enthusiastic she was. He knelt down so he was eye level with her. “Have fun today, okay?”

            “I will.” Erin grinned and hugged him tightly. “Love you, daddy!” She let go and hopped up the stairs into the bus. She greeted the bus driver happily and went to sit down. She sat by the window and eagerly waved to Philip.

            He waved back as the bus pulled away. Once the bus was out of view, he was struck with a heavy feeling of melancholy. It felt like yesterday he was just holding Erin for the first time. Now she was off to school. He finally turned to walk back to the house, overcome with that bittersweet feeling.

 

            A few years passed and Teddy’s first day of school came. Erin instructed her brother about what to do as they walked down to the bus stop with their father.

            “And you’ve got to raise your hand when you have a question,” Erin told him. “I’m in the third grade now so I can help you learn how to read.” She said proudly.

            Teddy, who was much shyer than his older sister, just smiled and nodded. He looked up at Philip. “Daddy, is school scary?”

            “No, bud, school’s really fun,” Philip assured him. “Right, Erin?”

            “Yeah, and you have Miss Nicky. She’s really nice.” She nodded. “You’ll have lots of fun.”

            When the bus arrived, Teddy was a little hesitant about leaving Philip but Erin coaxed him to come along with her. Philip thought it would get easier, sending them off to school every year, but it never did. He always got that same feeling as he walked back to the house.

 

            When Erin hit middle school, she started to take a different bus at an earlier time. On the first day of sixth grade, Philip got up to walk her to the bus stop, like always. Theo and Teddy slept in, going to get up later for his bus. Philip liked it, just spending time with his daughter in the quiet kitchen. The sun was just starting to break through the horizon and everything was brisk outside.

            “Are you excited for your first day?” He asked as they sat at the breakfast table.

            Erin shrugged and nodded. “Yeah, I’m in Katie’s homeroom so it’ll just be like last year.” She said unfazed by the changes she was going through.

            “Cool, well, I’m sure you’ll have fun.” Philip smiled and checked the time. “We should get a move on.” He said and stood up.

            Erin gave him a funny look. “Dad, you don’t need to walk me to the bus.” She told him.

            Philip looked back at her in a bit of a shock. “Oh, uh, are you sure?”

            “Yeah, I’m not a kid anymore.” She stood up and threw her backpack on. “It’s just down the street.” She smiled.

            “Right, of course.” He nodded. “Well, you have fun okay? We’ll go out to dinner to celebrate tonight.”

            “Okay.” She nodded and turned to leave without even a hug or kiss from her father.

            Philip had to sit down as he felt the feeling hit him hard. He forgot how old she was. She wasn’t the little girl who needed to hold his hand when crossing the street. Soon she’d be going to high school, getting her license, and dating. It was terrifying to Philip.

 

 

            Erin was graduating that day. She was valedictorian and proudly wore her sash and honors cords over her blue graduation gown.

            “Dad, did mom and Ted already leave?” Erin asked as she rushed downstairs. The gown was unzipped as she hurried around the house, her white dress underneath was too short in Philip’s opinion and her heels were far too tall. But Theo said it was appropriate and Philip was just being an overprotective father, as usual.

            “Yep, they’re saving seats for your grandparents and aunts.” Philip nodded. “We’re early though, so you don’t have to hurry.” He promised.

            “I want to get there early so I can take pictures with Katie and Georgia. I think they want pictures with the class officers and all the other people with awards and whatever” She said as she used her reflection in the microwave to put her earrings in.

            “Alright, well, we can do that.” Philip nodded.

            Erin turned after messing with her hair. “Okay, can you drive?” She reached into her purse to hand Philip the keys to her beat up Volkswagen. Philip offered to buy her a new car for graduation but Erin said she didn’t have the heart to get rid of her beloved car.

            “Ye, ma’am.” Philip smiled and took the keys from her. He waited for her to go to the garage.

            “Uh…dad?”

            “Yes?”

            “Where is my car?” Erin glanced over her shoulder with a freaked out expression.

            “Oh, is your car not there?” Philip pretended to look surprised.

            But his daughter saw right through him. “You didn’t get rid of him did you?” She asked.

            “No, I would never get rid of Vinny without your permission.” Philip used her affectionate name for the car.

            “Okay, so where is he?”

            “Let’s take a walk, maybe we’ll find him.” Philip offered a hand to her.

            Erin gave him a look but sighed and took his hand. They started taking the route to the bus stop like they had twelve years ago.

            “Remember your first day of school?” Philip asked as they walked slowly to accommodate for Erin’s high heels.

            “Sort of, yeah. You walked with me to the bus.”   

            Philip smiled. “You were so excited. And then you just got on the bus without second-guessing yourself. You were a lot braver than I ever was. I almost wished you wouldn’t let go of me. I was so scared for you to go. And then you decided you didn’t need me when you hit middle school.”

            Erin laughed softly. “That’s not true. I just didn’t need you to walk with me to the bus.”

            “Alright, fair enough. But then you got your license, and that was horrifying to me.”

            “I remember.” Erin nodded. She remembered all the safety precautions Philip had taken to make sure she would be as safe as possible.

            “You drove to school and then you were looking at colleges. I honestly couldn’t even remember when you’d gotten so old. Sometimes it felt like you were still a little kid.” Philip squeezed her hand gently. “Now look at you? Smartest kid in her class and Yale-bound.” He said proudly. But he couldn’t help but feel tears sting his eyes.

            Erin saw he was close to crying and she felt her chest tighten. “Dad…” She started to feel tears well up in her eyes too. “I can’t mess up this makeup.” She protested but couldn’t help it.

            “I just,” Philip had to take a moment, “Your mom and I, we’re so proud of you. You never backed down from a challenge and I know that you never will. I just wanted to take one more walk to the bus stop with you.”

            They stopped at the end of the sidewalk, where Vinny the Volkswagen was parked. Erin sniffled and dabbed carefully at her eyes. “I love you, daddy.” She said and hugged him tightly, almost as tall as him in her heels.

            Philip hugged her back and felt his heartbreaking and glowing at the same time. He knew he wouldn’t change anything. He would have loved for her to stay young so he could always protect her but he wouldn’t have it that way if he could. He was too proud of her. “I love you too.” He said softly and realized he was ready to let his baby bird fly.


End file.
